Thus spoke the emperor, and then the council begged him, being a wise
and devout prince, to make the choice. He then replied, “The
responsibility is too great for us. You who have been dignified with
divine grace, and have received illumination from above, will make a
better choice.” So they left the imperial presence and began to
deliberate apart. In the meanwhile the people of Milan were torn by
factions, some eager that one, some that another, should be promoted.
They who had been infected with the unsoundness of Auxentius were for
choosing men of like opinions, while they of the orthodox party were in
their turn anxious to have a bishop of like sentiments with themselves.
When Ambrosius, who held the chief civil magistracy679679 By
the constitution of Constantine, beneath the governors of the twelve
dioceses of the Empire were the provincial governors of 116 provinces,
rectores, correctores, præsides, and consulares. Ambrosius had
been appointed by Probus Consularis of Liguria and Æmilia. Probus,
in giving him the appointment, was believed to have
“prophesied,” and said “Vade; age non ut judex, sed
ut episcopus.” Paulinus S. of the district, 111was apprised of the
contention, being afraid lest some seditious violence should be
attempted he hurried to the church; at once there was a lull in the
strife. The people cried with one voice “Make Ambrose our
pastor,”—although up to this time he was still680680ἀμύητος unbaptized. News of what was being done
was brought to the emperor, and he at once ordered the admirable man to
be baptized and ordained, for he knew that his judgment was straight
and true as the rule of the carpenter and his sentence more exact than
the beam of the balance. Moreover he concluded from the agreement come
to by men of opposite sentiments that the selection was divine. Ambrose
then received the divine gift of holy baptism, and the grace of the
archiepiscopal office. The most excellent emperor was present on the
occasion and is said to have offered the following hymn of praise to
his Lord and Saviour. “We thank thee, Almighty Lord and Saviour;
I have committed to this man’s keeping men’s bodies; Thou
hast entrusted to him their souls, and hast shown my choice to be
righteous.”

Not many days after the divine
Ambrosius addressed the emperor with the utmost freedom, and found
fault with certain proceedings of the magistrates as improper.
Valentinian remarked that this freedom was no novelty to him, and that,
well acquainted with it as he was, he had not merely offered no
opposition to, but had gladly concurred in, the appointment to the
bishopric. “Go on,” continued the emperor, “as
God’s law bids you, healing the errors of our
souls.”

Such were the deeds and words of
Valentinian at Milan.

679 By
the constitution of Constantine, beneath the governors of the twelve
dioceses of the Empire were the provincial governors of 116 provinces,
rectores, correctores, præsides, and consulares. Ambrosius had
been appointed by Probus Consularis of Liguria and Æmilia. Probus,
in giving him the appointment, was believed to have
“prophesied,” and said “Vade; age non ut judex, sed
ut episcopus.” Paulinus S.